08.21.10

And to be truthful, I figured it would be a lame cameo (as himself) on “Entourage” before this. Mariotti’s former employer, the Chicago Sun-Times, provides a few details, as reported elsewhere :

Former Sun-Times sports columnist Jay Mariotti was arrested in Los Angeles overnight for an alleged domestic disturbance involving his girlfriend, the Los Angeles Times is reporting.

LAPD sources said Mariotti and his girlfriend initially began arguing at a Santa Monica club.

The argument continued at the couple’s Venice apartment, where the verbal confrontation escalated to a physical altercation, the L.A. Times is reporting.

Police were called to the apartment, and Mariotti was arrested and ordered held in lieu of $50,000 bail at the 77th Street station.

I don’t know what sort of war chest AOL has to bail out their columnists, but Mariotti could well be in serious danger. Inner city jails / holding tanks are chock-a-block with disgruntled bloggers, “Around The Horn” viewers and other sociopaths who’d love an opportunity to settle scores real or imagined with Jay. We can only hope that the legal system is allowed to do-it’s-thing and Mariotti is judged by a jury of his peers (ie. other mascara wearing sportswriters) rather than subjected to the bloodlust of an angry mob.